Fireproof building structure.



10.755,336. PATBNTED MAR. 2z, 1904. G. B. WAITB.

IIREPROOF BUILDING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1903. NO MODEL.

WITNESSES:

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GUY BENNETT WAITE,

Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIREPROOF BUILDING STRUCTURE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letterslatent No. 755,336, dated March 22, 1904.

Application filed July 27, 1903. Serial No. 167,170. (No model.) I

To all whom it muy concern.:

Be it known that I, GUY BENNETT W ATTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at-New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Building Structures, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to fireproof building structuresand methods of erecting the same,

and more particularly to floor and ceiling structures of that type wherein are employed concrete or similar fireproof arches disposed at intervals transversely of and between the main-floor girders (which are usually steel I-A beams) and constituting, with the latter, the

y supporting andcarrying framework ofthe floor and ceiling coverings. Heretofore such arches in iioor and ceiling work have generally been cast in place on and by means of temporary underlying centering, which latter is allowed to remain until the permanent supports have dried out and set, after which the temporary centeringfis removed. Numerous considerations have established the desirability of replacing this slow and expensive method of construction by the-employment of ready-made slabs or lintels. The latter can be made in a factory during winter orother unfavorable weather and involve less labor and expense in their manufacture; but, on the other hand, a difficulty ywhich has been experienced in rendering the use of factory-made slabs and lintels practical has been the virtual impossibility of making the slabs exactly fit in between the steel Hoor-beams, the latter being in practice irregular in spans. It is not practical to cut the slabsto make them fit, and the exact fitting of the arches between the steel floor-beams forms a necessary factor in the construction. The only way heretofore found, so far as I am aware, to make the use of such factory-made slabs or lintels practical has been to cut the slabs of a uniform. length slightly short of the minimum distance required to be spanned lthereby and then fill in the space between one or both ends of the slab and the floor beam or beams, such space re-a quiring to be filled in varying more or less, according to the spacing of the beams. Where this has been, however, temporary centering has been required to support the ready-made Myl present invention has for lts principal vobject to render practicalthe use .of factorymade slabs or lintels made in standard lengths in the manufacture of fireproof arches without requiringthe use of either temporary centering therefor or permanent supports embedded therein; and this object I carry out through the novel expedient of suspension devices incorporated therein and carriedL over the floor-beams in-association with end filling soapplied as to constitute the permanent sup-4 port of the slab and its load, said suspension devices, while they may be allowed to remain as a permanent part of the arch structure, nevertheless having as their function merely .to support the weight of the slab or lintel while the llingor leg of the arch is setting, and so take the place of the usual centering employed beneath such slab or lintel. The slab may rest on the beam at one end and have the suspender on the other end only.

My invention also contemplates the employment in a floor-arch construction of concrete or similar slabs or lintels each characterized by the provision of a rib or web which rises to a height above the tops of the floor-beams and supports the fioor construction, thereby raising the latter above all obstructions (such as a specially high girder in the floor or pipes of any kind) and dispensing with the filling which ordinarily hasv to be putin toraise the fioor construction over such obstructions. For this purpose the use of factory-made slabs cut sufficiently short to lie between the top flanges or heads of the I-beam fioor-girders, in association with end filling, is specially convenient and expedient.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention as embodied in several IOO forms of concrete or similar floor-arches employing ready-made slabs or lintels.

Referring to thedrawings, Figures 1 and 3 are side elevations of Hoor-arches embodying my invention, both employing iiat factorymade slabs disposed between the lower and upper parts of the floor-beams, respectively, the latter appearing in section, and Fig. 1 showing what is known as a fiat arch. Figs. 2 and 4 are cross-sectional views on the line 2 2 and 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 3, respectively. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a section of complete ioor and ceiling construction, showing more particularly that feature `of my invention which finds its expression in arches that rise to a level above the level of the tops of the Hoor-beams. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 5, with the iioor construction removed. Fig. 7 is a crosssectional detail view of one of the arch-beams shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 are cross-sectional detail views of different forms of arch-beams, lintels, or slabs which may be employed within the spirit and purview of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, A designates each of a pair of oor-girders herein shown as having the form of a pair of steel I-beams.

B designates a shop or factory made slab or lintel constituting the principal member of the Hoor-arch. This slab may be cored, as shown at ci, for the sake of lightness and has preferably embedded therein, as shown, a pair -of suspension-wires b b. The slab is cut somewhat shorter than the space between the girders A, and rthe ends of the wires b project from the end or ends of the slab and are carried up and hooked over the top iianges of the ioor-girders, as shown. Temporary centering (partially indicated at C) is put in place between and beneath the lower flange of each girder and the adjacent end of the slab, and concrete or other end filling D is put in either before or after the slab is put in place to fill out the ends of the shop-made slab onto the lower Hange of the girder and against the web of the latter, it being observed that the ends of the slab are cut obliquely, so as to wedge the latter between and cause it to be supported by the end fillings when the latter have become hard and set.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a solid slab or lintel B slung from the tops of the floor-girders by Suspenders b, the slab in this instance being positioned between the upper portions of the Hoor-girders. Here C' indicates a part of the temporary centering to support the concrete end filling, D' constituting the leg of the complete arch, such end filling engaging the web and inner surfaces of the fianges of the floor-girder and filling the space between the latter and the end of the slab B', forming a permanent foundation and support for the latter.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the same principle or method in the construction and erection of the Hoor-arch as already disclosed, carried out, and embodied in a complete iioor construction. Here A designates the same floor-girders as in the preceding figures, and B2 designates the beams or lintels, which have the cross-'sectional form shown in Fig. 7. It will be observed that the central vertical ribs of these beams are made of a height which may carry their upper margins above the tops of the fioor-girders A. At 712 are indicated the embedded wire Suspenders by which the beams are supported for construction purposes from the Hoor-girders. If desired, and as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, the beams, which are located side by side in close juxtaposition, may be stepped at one end on the base-ange of the iloor-girder, thus dispensing with the necessity of temporary centering und er the end filling at that end. Dzdesignates such concrete end filling which completes thc arch, giving it a perfect fit and support on its ends on the Hoor girders. Supported directly on and across the ribs of the arch-beams B2 is the metal lath E, While running diagonally over said ribs above the metal lath vare sleepers F F F2, on which latter is laid the iiooring G, a filling H being interposed between the lath and flooring and embedding the sleepers. I designates the ceiling-plaster beneath the arches and Hoor-beams. K designates pipes laid crosswise of the ribs of the arches directly beneath the metal lath, for the accommodation of which pipes said ribs are notched, as shown at m, and L'designates other pipes disposed parallel with and between the ribs and resting across the tops of the floor-girders.

Among the advantages presented by the last-described construction may be mentioned the fact that the ribs can be made of this increased height without materially increasing the weight of construction, while they raise the door construction above all obstructions, (such as a specially high girder in the Hoor or pipes of any kind,) and thus save the filling which hasto be put in ordinarily to raise the iioor construction over such obstructions. They also produce a stronger and lighter structure than any other with which I am acquainted.

Figs. 8, 9, l0, and 11 areintended to illustrate still others out of a great variety of forms which the arch beams or lintels may take when employed in carrying out my invention. In Fig. 8 the beam B3 is I-shaped in cross-section and has its suspender b3 embedded, preferably, inits lower portion. Fig. 9 shows a beam B4 of Tshape incross-section, being an inversion of the form shown in Figs. 5 to 7 and carrying its suspender 724. Fig. 10

A.shows a plain vertical beam or slab B", carrying in its lower end its suspending-wire b5, and BG in Fig. 11 represents a cored horizontal slab or beam substantially like that shown in Figs. l and 2 and havinga single central sus- IOO pending-wire b. It is entirely evident that still other forms of beams or lintels might be employed in the construction of my improved arch, the particular formof such beam or lin- I dispense entirely with the necessity of temporary centering for the ready-made part of the arch and also do not employ or require any permanent supports for the latter, which are expensive, and by permanent supports I mean supports such as are designed to and do support not only the weight of the arch- -beam during construction, but also the weight of whatever load or loads the linished Hoor is subsequently required to carry. The wire or other Suspenders 'Z2 b b2, &c., such as I employ, are not a necessary element Iof the iinished construction, but merely a temporary support until the end filling or fillings have set and are able to carry the arch and its load, although such Suspenders may and pref-` erably will be allowed to remain during and after the completion of the structure. With my invention no temporary centering for the arch is required beyond merely enough to support the end llings orv beddings for the factory-made materials, such as I have indicated at C and C', and this can be soon removed, since the Suspenders carry the weight of the arch-beam during construction, which Suspenders can also, if desired, be made to also form the suspension means for the temporary centering of the end fillings. This enables the work of construction to proceed rapidly and with much greater expedition than by the present method, almost universally employed, of casting the entire arch in place on temporary centering, which has to be left standing 'until the arch has becomeself-supporting. The saving in time involved in the manufacture of the arch-beams, slabs,

or lintels in shops and factories during winter and other unseasonable times when outdoor-building operations are necessarily sus-l pended is another marked advantage resulting Vfrom the u'se .of my invention.

' I claim- 1. In a fireproof structure of the character described, the combination of a shop-made arch beam or lintel and Suspenders slinging it from the floor-girders, said arch-beam being supplemented by concrete or the like cast in at one or both ends to iill it out to and against the floor-girders in such a manner as to resist the vertical strains through the arch, substantially as described.

2. In a {ireproof structure of the character described, the combination with a shop-made arch beam or lintel cut or molded to a stock length and one or more wire Suspenders embedded therein longitudinally thereof and projecting from its ends whereby it may be slung from the tops of the licor-girders, of a supplemental concrete filling or bedding cast in at one or both ends of said arch-beam and lling it out to and against the floor-girders in such a manner as to resist the vertical strains through the arch, substantially as described.

3. In a reproof structure of the character described, the combination with the iioor-girders, of arch-beams extending transversely of and between adjacent floor-girders, said archbeams extending to a height above the level of the tops of the ioor girders and being stepped at one end directly on the lower flange of one floor-girder and supported at the other end by the lower ange of the other iioorgirder through an interposed filling of concrete or the like, substantially as described.

4. In a rep'roof structure of the character described, the combination with the floor-girders, of arch-beams of inverted-T shape in crosssection disposed transversely of and between adjacent floor-girders, said arch-beams each having its vertical rib or web extended to a height above the tops of the floor-girders and being stepped at one end directly onthe lower ange of one oor-girder and supported at the other end by the lower iange of the other ioor-girder through an interposed filling of concrete or the like, substantially as described.

5. In a iireproof structure of the character described, the combination with the ioor-girders, of shop-made arch beams or lintels cut in stock lengths disposed between adjacent girders, each of said arch-beams having a vertical rib or web and being further provided with Suspenders embedded therein longitudinally thereof by which it is slung over the tops. of the floor-girders and supported therefrom during construction, and concrete or the like cast in at one or both ends of'said arch-beam and filling it out to and against the Hoor-girders A GUY BENNETT WAITE. n Witnesses:

ELMER WALSH, EDWARD EISENACHER.

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